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Cooper Connolly’s Record-Breaking Spell Hands SA Their Worst Ever ODI Defeat
Follow UsConnolly became the youngest-ever Australian to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs
Records were broken left, right and center in Mackay on August 24 (Sunday) as Australia registered a stunning 276-run victory in the third ODI, a dead rubber, to end the ODI series on a happy note.
A 250-run opening stand between Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh was followed by Cameron Green posting Australia’s second-fastest ODI hundred that propelled the Kangaroos to 431/2, their second-highest total in ODIs.
Incredibly, more records tumbled in the second innings as Cooper Connolly became the youngest-ever Australian to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. Replacing Aaron Hardie in the starting XI, Connolly finished with figures of 5/22 to script Australia history.
Youngest Australian to take a 5-fer in ODIs
22 years & 2 days - Cooper Connolly
22 years & 204 days - Craig McDermott
22 years & 211 days - Mitchell Starc
Connolly became just the second-ever Australian left-arm spinner, and the first in 21 years, to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. Michael Clarke is the only other Aussie left-arm spinner to take a five-for in ODIs, and he did that back in 2004 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla.
Connolly’s efforts handed South Africa their worst-ever defeat in ODI history. They got bowled out for 155 in pursuit of 432 to sink to an all-time low.
Biggest margin of defeat for South Africa in ODIs
Lost by 276 runs - vs Australia in Mackay, 2025
Lost by 243 runs - vs India in Eden Gardens, 2023
Lost by 182 runs - vs Pakistan in Gqeberha, 2002
Lost by 180 runs - vs Sri Lanka in Colombo, 2013
Meanwhile, Australia registered their second-biggest win in ODI history. A nice little milestone to end the series on a high.
Biggest wins for Australia in ODIs
Won by 309 runs - vs Netherlands in Delhi, 2023
Won by 276 runs - vs South Africa in Mackay, 2025
Won by 275 runs - vs Afghanistan in Perth, 2015
Won by 256 runs - vs Namibia in Potchefstroom, 2003
While Travis Head was named Player of the Match, Keshav Maharaj walked away with the Player of the Series award.